Lesson 3.1.4.4.5

3.1.4.4.5 Observation studies: categories of behaviour and interobserver reliability Quiz: AQA Psychology, Unit 4

20 questions

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Lesson 3.1.4.4.5, Observation studies: categories of behaviour and interobserver reliability: 20 multiple choice questions for the AQA GCSE Psychology (8182), Unit 4: Research methods, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. What is an observation study?

    • A study in which participants answer a written questionnaire
    • A study in which the researcher changes a variable and tests the outcome
    • A study in which the researcher interviews a single case in depth
    • A study in which the researcher watches and records behaviour

  2. What does a behavioural category do in an observation study?

    • It sets the null hypothesis of the study before any data are gathered
    • It decides which participants are included in the sample for the study
    • It defines a specific behaviour that the observer will record
    • It stores the results after the whole study has been completed fully

  3. A researcher counts how often a child smiles, frowns or looks away during play. What are these?

    • Interview questions
    • Null hypotheses
    • Behavioural categories
    • Independent variables

  4. Why must behavioural categories be clearly defined in an observation study?

    • So that the study can be completed in one day
    • So that the observer can avoid writing a report
    • So that participants know exactly what they are being observed for
    • So that different observers record the same behaviour in the same way

  5. What does interobserver reliability mean?

    • The extent to which an observer records the same number of behaviours each time
    • The extent to which different observers record the same behaviour in the same way
    • The extent to which the observer's notes are kept secret
    • The extent to which participants agree with the observer

  6. How is interobserver reliability usually checked?

    • The study is repeated in a laboratory without any observers present at all
    • Two or more observers record the same behaviour and their records are compared
    • Participants are asked whether the observer was accurate in what they noted
    • One observer records the behaviour twice and their results are averaged together

  7. Which action would most improve interobserver reliability?

    • Using only one observer so there is no disagreement
    • Training observers to use the same clear behavioural categories
    • Allowing each observer to define their own categories
    • Recording only the behaviours that the observer finds most interesting

  8. What is a strength of observation studies?

    • They allow the researcher to control all variables completely in the setting
    • They record natural behaviour, which gives high ecological validity
    • They always produce data that cannot be analysed in any meaningful way
    • They always involve participants answering closed questions on a form

  9. What is a weakness of observation studies?

    • The observer can never record any behaviour accurately in the setting
    • The observer's presence or expectations may influence what is recorded
    • Participants always know exactly what they are being observed for in the study
    • The data are always impossible to analyse with any statistical method

  10. In a playground observation, what would be a sensible behavioural category?

    • Child is feeling happy about the lunch menu that was served in the school hall today
    • Child is physically interacting with a peer, such as holding hands or pushing
    • Child is planning a future career and what job they would like to do when older
    • Child is thinking about the weekend and what they will do with their family then

  11. Why might an observer record behaviour using time sampling?

    • To remove the need for behavioural categories, since the time sample records everything
    • To record behaviour at set intervals, such as every 30 seconds, to keep the recording manageable
    • To record only the first behaviour seen in each session, so the recording stays short
    • To make the study a laboratory experiment with controlled conditions and set variables

  12. What is a key difference between a naturalistic observation and a controlled observation?

    • A naturalistic observation has no behavioural categories, while a controlled observation always does use them
    • A naturalistic observation always uses a laboratory, while a controlled observation never does in any study
    • A naturalistic observation happens in a natural setting, while a controlled observation happens in a set-up one
    • A naturalistic observation involves questionnaires, while a controlled observation does not use any at all

  13. Which statement about observer reliability is most accurate?

    • If observers disagree often, the recorded data may not be reliable
    • If observers disagree often, the data are always more accurate than before
    • Observers should never be compared with one another in any study design
    • Disagreement between observers has no effect on the data that are recorded

  14. A study records how often children share toys in a classroom. Which two observers' results would best support reliability?

    • Two observers who record only the events they personally like or approve of
    • Two observers who record very different numbers of sharing events in the lesson
    • One observer who records sharing events twice in different ways across lessons
    • Two observers who record the same number of sharing events within a similar range

  15. Why might a participant behave differently if they know they are being observed?

    • They forget how to behave in public and so their behaviour becomes random and unusual
    • They always behave exactly as they normally do, whether or not anyone is watching them
    • They always stop behaving at all and sit quietly until the observer has left the room
    • They may show demand characteristics, changing behaviour to fit what they think is expected

  16. Which technique could reduce the effect of an observer being noticed?

    • Telling participants the exact hypothesis before the study
    • Using a hidden observer or a one-way mirror
    • Asking the observer to join in the activity
    • Recording the behaviour by asking participants to describe it

  17. A researcher counts the number of times a child raises a hand in class over one lesson. What type of data is this?

    • Qualitative data, because it is a detailed description of the child
    • Quantitative data, because it is a count of behaviour
    • Interview data, because the child is asked about hand-raising
    • Case study data, because only one child is observed

  18. Which statement best describes an observation study's place in psychological research?

    • It is always the same as a laboratory experiment, with the same controls and variables
    • It is the only method that can establish cause and effect between two variables reliably
    • It is useful for studying natural behaviour, but conclusions about cause may be limited
    • It is useless for studying any real behaviour because it does not involve participants

  19. Which feature of a good behavioural category is most important?

    • It is based on the observer's feelings about the behaviour
    • It includes what the participant is thinking at the time
    • It is decided after all the data have been collected
    • It is clearly defined and can be observed directly

  20. An observer records 'child looks happy' as a category. What is the main problem?

    • The category is too precise to be used in a study, so the observer must use a looser one
    • The category is a dependent variable in every study, so it cannot also be recorded here
    • The category is vague and relies on inference, which may lower reliability
    • The category is the same as an independent variable, so it should not be used at all

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